A Study of Branch Prediction Strategies

In high-performance computer systems, performance losses due to conditional branch instructions can be minimized by predicting a branch outcome and fetching, decoding, and/or issuing subsequent instructions before the actual outcome is known. This paper discusses branch prediction strategies with the goal of maximizing prediction accuracy. First, currently used techniques are discussed and analyzed using instruction trace data. Then, new techniques are proposed and are shown to provide greater accuracy and more flexibility at low cost.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 1998
• Where: ISCA
• Authors: James E. Smith
• Keywords: Branch Outcome, Branch Prediction Strategies, Conditional Branch Instructions, Hardware, ISCA 1998